Bexar seeks cure for ailing emergency service districts

The hammer is coming down on Bexar County’s troubled emergency service districts, the suburban taxing entities responsible for fire protection in unincorporated suburbs.

After years of citizen complaints about fiscal mismanagement, and now a scathing audit, the 11 independent ESDs soon could be given uniform, county-prescribed operating rules, officials said Tuesday.

County auditors found infractions including excessive debt and poor accounting practices. Members of Commissioners Court, who appoint ESD board members, acknowledged being flustered by continuing ESD controversies that have resulted in lawsuits, financial and political squabbles, and worries about fire safety.

“The reality is, when we create these entities, they are taxing entities themselves and have every right to operate how they want to operate,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Kevin Wolff.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Sergio “Chico” Rodriguez, with three ESDs under his purview, said “it’s been a struggle for me,” citing litigation, grievances and unclear policies.

“This is something I’ve been screaming about for the last 10 years,” Rodriguez said. He joined Wolff in calling for state lawmakers to reexamine county authority over ESDs, and to consider consolidating districts and making their five-member boards elected rather than appointed.

“I’ve got 15 board members … Every time I turn around, something’s going on,” Rodriguez said. “They’re constantly resigning because they’re not being paid,” he added.

County Judge Nelson Wolff said 11 districts “with 11 boards, that’s really fragmented … we just need to get into some kind of conformity how we operate.”

The move follows a scathing 2014 Bexar County audit of the 11 ESDs, based on 2013 financial statements. While some ESDs were performing well, the audit said most of the ESDs did not have an independent external auditor as required, and most exceeded the statutory limit of $20,000 debt.

South Side’s ESD No. 6 amassed nearly $140,000 in debt, according to the audit. The report also found that ESD No. 6 had a negative fund balance of $72,000 in 2013, the fourth straight year of being in the red. The audit noted “the majority of the debt incurred was due to prior years’ legal fees and monitoring expenses.”

The audit said the Somerset area’s ESD No. 5 did not fulfill a requirement to have policies regarding allowable debit card transactions and overtime preapproval. It cited ESD Nos. 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 for lack of independence of their external auditors, noting in some cases CPA firms were “performing both financial reporting and audit reporting functions.”

A draft of the county’s “best practices” for ESDs is expected next month from the Bexar County Office of Emergency Management/Fire Marshal.